Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Dog crates can serve many purposes, but two stand
above all others- potty training and
safety.

Anyone who has
raised a puppy knows they are like small human children, and must be watched
constantly. If not, the puppy could chew up electrical cables, bedding, furniture,
the paint off walls (yes- that too), or swallow small objects that can pose a
choking hazard. It is in the puppy’s best interest (and yours) to keep them crated
when they can’t be monitored, if only to keep the puppy safe.

How to Choose a Good Dog Crate

Consider a well ventilated crate large enough for your puppy to stand up and turn
around in easily. Bear in mind as your puppy grows (and they do grow fast),
they will need more room. It’s usually a good idea to invest in a full size
crate adjusted for their expected adult growth! If your dog is a mixed breed,
consider the expected size of the larger breed in the mix.

Also, try to avoid
purchasing an overly large crate. Too much room might allow for your puppy to
make a mess without disturbing his immediate bedding.

Be Patient

Crate Training can
take days or weeks, depending on your dog’s past experiences. In the case of
shelter dogs, workers sometimes can’t get to the puppy in time; proper training
may take longer because the dog is used to eliminating in his enclosure.

Crating and Potty Training

Dogs prefer not to
relieve themselves in small confined areas or where they sleep. In the crate,
your puppy will hold his bladder as long as he can. Bear in mind- that is a
very small and underdeveloped bladder; your puppy will need frequent potty
breaks. Crate training a puppy is different from crate training an adult dog.
Even if you have to work, expect to come home to soiled bedding if you leave
your puppy crated all day. Small puppies are still growing and developing, and
need frequent potty breaks.

On the other hand,
it is a good idea to begin crating your puppy overnight. They will probably
whine at first, and you probably won’t get a full night’s rest (but that is to
be expected for any young puppy owner). Most puppies should be able to sleep
the entire night without a potty break by 4 months of age.

·Barring sleep, puppies under 6 months of age shouldn’t stay
crated for more than 3-4 hours at a time (Humane Society)

·It is said puppies can be crated without potty breaks for
their age (months) in hours plus one. Ex.- 3 months = 4 hours

·In order to properly develop social skills, puppies
shouldn’t be separated from litter mates prior to four weeks. Many experts
recommend no less than eight weeks.

Make it Comfortable

Don’t think of your
puppy’s crate as a cage, but more of a comfy doggy den! Make sure the bottom is
lined with soft blankets or other comfortable material. Leave a favorite toy or
two in your dog crate. Comfortability ranks right up there with familiarity and
patience. You always want your puppy to form positive associations with his
crate at all times! If you crate your puppy directly after chastisement, he
will learn ‘crate means my parent is upset; I don’t like the crate because I
don’t want the parent to be upset’. Never associate your crate with punishment.
In order for your training to run smoothly, you’ll want your little one to
enjoy his little den and associate it with a positive place!

Start Small & Familiarize

This is possibly
both the most important step to the training process and the most neglected. In
order to avoid anxiety from developing, you absolutely must be patient and let
your puppy become accustomed to his or her crate. In other words, don’t start
off the bat crating for hours at a time unless it is absolutely unavoidable.

Begin by letting
your puppy inspect the crate with the door open. After you do this once or
twice, start out by creating your pup for short 5, 10 or 20 minute intervals
while you are in the room. After you’ve done this a few times, you can begin
crating and leaving the room for short durations.

If you have to work
on a Monday, try starting out Friday after you return home. In order to create
further pleasant associations, begin feeding your dog in his crate at feeding
time.

Be sure to set a
potty training/crating schedule for your puppy to help familiarize them to the
process!

Your Puppy’s Perspective

Dogs all too often
develop separation anxiety, sometimes to an extreme, potentially causing injury
to themselves in an attempt to escape or tearing up blanketing to confetti.
This can be because owners start out by caging them for day long periods rather
than slowly introducing them to crating. Remember, dogs do not understand why
they are being crated, and often think their pack- family member and parent has
left them, never to return.

The entire idea
behind this gradual process is to give your puppy time to adjust, showing him
or her you will always return and he doesn’t need to worry. Remember to crate
various times throughout the day to help your puppy familiarize themselves to
the process!

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